Apr 21 2009 Man Wants Camera Installed In Prosthetic Eye, Temporarily Settles For Terminator Eye
Rob Spence has had eye problems since a shooting accident at 13. Now 36, Rob had the eye removed three years ago and decided he wants a video camera in it's place. Only problem: getting a video camera in its place.
Thus far, they've built devices that create wireless NTSC signals--the sort of standard wireless signal a television uses--and are now working on getting this to work in sync with a miniature camera and a battery, all attached to a printed circuit board, all of which has to fit inside a prosthetic eye.
So in the meantime Rob sports the Terminator eye to drum up interest in the project and try to score some funding. Good luck, Rob. And by good luck I mean I won't hesitate to go John Connor on that ass if I have to.
Hit the jump for one more shot and a link to the superlong article.
Feb 25 2009 Woman Gets Custom Mermaid Tail Prosthetic
A New Zealand woman has had a custom mermaid tail prosthetic made for her by Weta Workshop (special effects studio responsible for Lord Of The Rings, etc.). Nadya Vessey lost both of her legs below the knee as the result of a medical condition when she was young.
Ms Vessey told a little boy: "I'm a little mermaid" when he asked what happened to her legs and the idea stuck.
Weta costumer Lee Williams, who worked on the suit between film projects with seven other staff, told Close Up she "wanted [Nadya] to be beautiful and sexy".After seeing Ms Vessey test the tail in Kilbirnie pool then frolic in the harbour, Ms Williams was stoked. "It was absolutely amazing. It's beautiful to watch Nadya swim and to see that dream come true and to be a part of that. I feel quite blessed."
Beautiful. That's beautiful, isn't it? You think she can still make love with the tail on? Because if so, I'm interested. And also, in the market for a snorkel.
Continue Reading " Woman Gets Custom Mermaid Tail Prosthetic "
Jan 20 2009 Guy Gets Arm Replaced Luke Skywalker Style
Evan Reynolds, 19, got his hand and part of his arm ripped off in a car accident and has since been fitted with an i-LIMB, a robotic hand developed by an Apple/Star Wars fanboy.
The i-Limb was developed by a Scottish company, Touch Bionics, and has won awards for its innovative technology. The total cost including the hand itself and the fitting is about £30,000.
"It's so sensitive I can grip a bottle of water or a paper cup without crushing it, and even swing a racket. All I have to so is imagine picking something up or gripping it and the fingers and thumb move automatically."Mr Reynolds said his disability has not stopped him playing sport, his greatest passion, nor has it crushed his spirit.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for fake arms and shit, but I'd still be pissed if Evan could throw the ball better than me. And that, dear reader, is only one of the thousands of reasons why I'm going to spend eternity in hell with a piece of glowing charcoal in my ass.
Bionic hand gives student new lease of life [telegraph]
Thanks to MoMan, who fears the day his robotic prosthetic turns on him and rips his penis off.
Nov 18 2008 Artist Wants Webcam Installed In Eyeball
San Francisco artist Tanya Vlach lost an eye in a car accident several years ago. And now she wants a webcam installed in her prosthetic, because she's a badass.
Tanya reasons that her aesthetic-only eye could become a source of "augmented reality," and she's got a list of possible specs up on her blog for would-be engineers to begin with. Just some of the things mentioned for inclusion are: DVR capabilities, MPEG-4 compression, a microSD slot, A/V out, and Bluetooth.
Tanya,
While a webcam eyeball would be cool, particularly if you spend a significant portion of your day in the women's locker room or staring at your own privates, I believe there are bigger fish to fry -- with a laser eye. PEW PEW!
Yours truly,
The Geekologie Writer
Monocular San Francisco artist wants webcam installed in her prosthetic eye [engadget]
Thanks to Captain Pants and Allegro, who, for the tips, get their choice of a free pegleg or eye patch.
Sep 18 2007 Delicate Touch Robot Hand Plays Nice
Intel scientists working at a Seattle lab have developed a technology they're dubbing "pre-touch", which consists of a number of electric-field proximity sensors. These sensors are used to determine the conductive properties of an object prior to touching it, to help assess what kind and how strong a grip is necessary. Just imagine that dangling ball in the picture to be, well, your testicles (or female equivalent). Now do you want that sexy robot hand to bear down on you like vice grips, or would you prefer the gentle caress of a spring breeze, and maybe a little tickling action? Exactly. If you answered one you're a sicko.
Delicate Touch Robot Hand Plays Nice [therawfeed]
Aug 21 2007 Rocket Fuel Powered Arm
Your current bionic arm just not cutting it? Tired of just rocking a pirate hook? Well a team at Vanderbilt University has developed a prosthetic arm that's powered by, that's right folks, rocket fuel! The team came up with the idea while trying to develop a system that functions with the same strength of a human arm.
Conventional prosthetic arms do not have the strength of their flesh-and-blood counterparts, the reason being the batteries. In order to lift comparable weights, a prosthetic arm would need a massive battery, too large for the prosthesis itself. So (project leader) Michael Goldfarb started thinking about other ways to power the artificial limbs, and came up with the idea of using the monopropellant rocket motor system that the space shuttle uses to maneuver in space.
It's pretty clear that this team lives by the same credo that I do. When trying to solve a problem, always consider some sort of projectile or explosive material in the final design. I mean, really, who needs a ding-dong anyways when you can have it torn or blown off by your bionic arm.
A video after the jump.
UPDATE: A scary picture of the robot arm wielding a gun after the jump.
